Week 4 brings implications for Pats

And so New York goes into Buffalo next week with a chance to sweep through their first go-round of the AFC East, and do so without Darrelle Revis (for the most part) or Santonio Holmes (at all).

Meanwhile, the Dolphins and Patriots remain knotted with them in the standings at 2-1, and both Miami and New England have a seriously important week ahead as they prepare to clash at Sun Life Stadium on Monday night. The loser of next week’s prime-timer (barring a Buffalo upset of the Jets) will be a) a game behind the co-leaders in the AFC East and b) carrying losses to both of them.

Must win for the Patriots and Dolphins? Heck no. Not in Week 4, not with both teams coming in at 2-1. But after the way the first three weeks have shaken out, this one could have some serious reverberations felt well down the road when the real “must wins” are played.